


Put to Good Use

by FairyToast



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Horrortale (Undertale), Anxiety, Descriptions of Starvation Effects, F/M, Horrortale Papyrus (Undertale), Horrortale Sans (Undertale), Multi, No Beta, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Other, Other Additional Tags to Be Added
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-04
Updated: 2020-07-04
Packaged: 2021-03-04 19:08:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,007
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25061383
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FairyToast/pseuds/FairyToast
Summary: Mad Queen Undyne kept her promise, she broke the barrier. Monsterkind is not what it once was and has suffered from the years of famine and neglect after Frisk killed Asgore and escaped through the barrier ten years ago. Too few and weak to fight, monsterkind finds itself at the mercy of their rescuers and captors the humans. The path ahead has not yet been paved towards the future. The actions of one will always cause a chain reaction in others, even if they are unaware. The only thing permanent is the promise of change, for good or for bad.
Relationships: Papyrus (Undertale)/Original Female Character(s), Sans (Undertale)/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 20





	Put to Good Use

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was inspired by Sour-Apple-Studios Horrortale AU.

“You know you don’t have to stay there if it’s that much trouble, right? Just sell it and do what you want. It’s not like you’re gonna be strapped for cash. You could literally quit your job, sell the house and retire at this point. I honestly think you qualify as ‘new money’ now.”

You couldn’t help but sigh, although you did try to do so quietly. You hadn’t been looking for advice, just an ear to vent to. You know your friend meant well, but she didn’t understand what this place meant to you. You take a moment to look around you as you switch your cell phone from one ear to the other. 

The afternoon sun filled the first floor with light courtesy of the two story windows, giving an open view to the deck and property beyond. The sky was bright and clear for early winter but you felt exposed in the presence of so much empty space and silence.

“I know Lizzie, but she left it to me and asked me to use it. This is just how Mrs. Noorwood and her family apparently operate. They just get ‘big gifts’ for each other. Did I ever tell you the story about the retirement casino that her grandkids build for their dad?”

Lizzie groaned and you could hear her head hitting the back of her seat causing a small laugh to escape from you. 

“Yes, you have and I still don’t think I believe you. I just can’t wrap my head around building a literal multimillion dollar business as a gift. It seems so out of touch from reality, but given your newest acquisitions it doesn’t seem so far-fetched that a stupid rich family like that would just give away real estate. I guess a house on fifty acres in the middle of bumfuck nowhere is small potatoes compared to that.”

There was a pause on the other end of the line but you waited to hear if Lizzie had something more to say.

“Ava, are you sure no-one else in Mrs. Norrwood’s family wanted that place? I don’t want to see you caught up in some crazy legal battle with people like that. Like is there some weird inheritance laws that this stuff falls under?”

A smile curled on your lips and you felt the warmth of affection bloom in your chest. The sound of the concern in her voice made you remember why she was one of the few people you kept in close confidence with all the recent changes your life has taken. You were happy to ease her fears for you.

“The lawyer that was assigned to me to help me with preparations, after the reading of the will, made sure everything was dealt with on that front. Everyone seemed happy enough to just come by to take one last look around the place and pick up anything of sentimental value, after all the ink had dried. Honestly, them all coming by made it easier to sell off the rest of the stuff they didn’t want. Kinda glad it’s all over though, I feel like I haven’t had a chance to think.”

Lizzie hummed in understanding and in the background you could hear the sound of a door opening and soon after the stomping of feet. Lizzie’s husband and kids must have gotten home, if Lizzie’s shouted greetings and the cacophony of chatter that happened in reply were anything to go by.

“Look I have to go, I have to get these kids fed before we head off to the movies tonight. Keep me updated on how everything goes and let me know what you decide. I know you're conflicted about what to do so maybe it’ll be easier now without having to host rich kids or estate scavengers.”

“You’re probably right. I’ll let you go eat. Have fun at the movies and I’ll send you some pictures tomorrow of this place now that it’s been cleaned out. Tell the family I said hi and let the kids know I miss them.”

The line goes dead and you are once again completely on your own. You take a moment to check the time on your cell before pushing it into your back pocket. At a little past 5:30 in the afternoon you deemed it late enough to make dinner before doing your nightly lock down round. 

Dinner was a quick affair of canned soup and a sandwich eaten quickly. The faster you could eat and clean up the quicker you could do your round before hopping on your computer to get a start on tomorrow’s workload. Dishes were washed and dried before sliding them back in the cabinets. No need to use the dishwasher since it was just you making a mess.

You started from the second floor and finished in the basement, checking every door, window, faucet, and light before you were satisfied. When you took one last look across the first floor, devoid of most of the trappings from it’s previous occupant, you became suddenly aware of something. This was not a house built for one person but a lodge created with high ceilings and oversized accommodations for large gatherings. You could feel a thread of anxiety curling up in your head and you shake your head to try and dislodge it.

“Nope. Lets not do that now. We have better things to focus on right now.”

Feeling temporarily in control of your train of thought you step through the threshold to the master bedroom and close the door behind you. It closes with a soft click when pushed but the size and solid build of the door reminds you that it’s not one of those premade doors that came with your previous apartment. 

One shower later and changed into your pajamas, you are feeling more focused than before. You grab your work laptop from it’s bag and place it on your desk. You are eager to get started as you settle into your chair, fingers dancing across the keys.

Being an editor hadn’t been your first choice in a career but you picked up a knack for it in college, and changed your major in order to pursue editing. Now at twenty-nine you have made a good reputation for yourself and held a steady job at the Ebott Publishing for the last 6 years. 

You had several manuscripts to work through that were due in a week and you pride yourself on finishing your work early. Editing the work of other people was time consuming but was engaging enough to keep your mind occupied. Furthermore, in most cases it could be done remotely which really helped right now seeing as you lived a cool hour drive outside Ebott’s city limits. However, anything that needed a physical presence at the office could be dealt with since you didn’t mind driving all that much.

You decided to call it a night when keeping your eyes open started to pose a challenge. You saved your work before plugging in your laptop and closing it. You stood with a yawn and made your way to the bed, walking around boxes and bins as you went. Despite having moved in over a month ago you still hadn’t unpacked anything but the items you used on a daily basis. You slid into bed and snuggled down among the comforters. Before sleep took you, you promised yourself you would give this place a chance to grow on you. 

Over the next few weeks you fall into a comfortable routine of wake, work, relax, and sleep. Once a weekend you’d also drive into the closest town and have breakfast at their diner. If you were feeling adventurous you would drive around aimlessly after your diner visit, taking in the sights of simple country living and listening to music played over the car’s system from your phone. It felt good to get out of the house and shake off the cabin fever once in a while. 

The new year had passed uneventfully and winter was beginning to loosen its grip. Despite the snow that had fallen the previous day, the light layer of white couldn’t hide the new growth sprouting on the trees. You had stopped to take a moment to enjoy the weather on the back deck with a cup of coffee, appreciating the view and the first bird songs of the approaching spring season. The moment of quiet observation was interrupted by your cell phone buzzing in your pocket. The screen notifies you that it’s Lizzie so you accept the call.

“Hey Liz whats up?”

“Ava I need you to turn on the news.”

Lizzie’s tone was flat and tense, whatever was on the news was spooking her. You immediately turned back into the house, coffee forgotten on the banister. Worry started to bubble in your chest but you pushed it down until you knew what was the cause of Lizzie’s distress.

“What’s going on? What happened?”

You make quick strides into the great room, snatching the remote off the back of the couch. The tv takes a moment to respond and then turns on to the channel you had been watching last night. A documentary about lions is playing and a group of females is in the middle of pulling apart a zebra foal.

“J-just…just watch…oh god.....”

Lizzie goes silent but you can hear her breathing, and the sound of her tv droning in the background. You flip through the channels as fast as you can. 

You finally find the right channel and there is a breaking news story playing. There is an anchorwoman reporting from the newsroom at Ebott City Broadcasting Network. You turn up the volume as the video cuts away to some footage and all at once you understand why Lizzie was at a loss for words.

There were creatures being loaded into military trucks, be it under their own power or being carried by others. Their shapes and sizes were numerous, some familiar and some seeming to break the laws of known science. They were a foul, sickly, and listless horde, shepherded by the military personnel away from the unblinking lenses of the cameras.

Your mind whorled and tipped, unable to comprehend the information it was confronted with. The video feed cuts back to the anchorwoman, in the clean and familiar newsroom, but you can’t understand her. Her voice slides past you like wind through trees, only some words making it past the sound of your blood rushing in your ears.

“....unknown timeframe……..discovered by hunters... Mt. Ebbott…cave system ...called Monsters……transfer to…. ”

The sharp sound of plastic hitting hardwood momentarily snapped you from your stupor. You were sitting on the couch now and the remote had dropped from your lax fingers to the floor. When did you sit down? You are also aware that the grip you have on your phone is painfully tight, but you can’t get your fingers to relax. Your unblinking eyes were drawn back to the screen as the same footage played over and over again. 

A noise somewhere between a giggle and a sob escapes you. It has to be a joke. There was no other option. This was all some elaborate prank by someone who was bored and with too much time on their hands. It’s just people in costumes.

The military doesn’t respond to pranks like this, not in such large numbers or with so much equipment. The realization sets your blood to ice and renders you a quivering mess, curling in on yourself. You try to swallow but the taste of your forgotten coffee sits heavy on your tongue and your throat closes up. For a moment you think you might throw up but it passes and is replaced by a heightened state of anxiety, hard and sharp in your chest. 

This is real and there is no amount of wishing that can change the facts. Nothing you can do but sit and watch and listen.


End file.
